Unity seen as key for ties with African, Arab nations

Advancing unity in the Global South, fostering cooperation in cutting-edge sectors and realizing common modernization have been high on the agenda of a high-level symposium marking the 70th anniversary of the launch of China's diplomatic ties with African and Arab countries.

The event gathered about 200 attendees, including diplomatic envoys from African and Arab countries, experts and scholars on Wednesday in Beijing.

In his speech, Vice-Foreign Minister Miao Deyu said China-Africa and China-Arab relations have achieved leaps forward under the guidance of President Xi Jinping and the leaders of African and Arab countries, "setting a benchmark for advancing the building of a community with a shared future for humanity".

China, together with African and Arab countries, will surely usher in the next 70 years of mutually beneficial cooperation and common development with greater achievements, he said.

He noted that the current international situation is marked by turbulence and uncertainty, and the backwash of hegemony is surging.

"We must forge consensus on shared ideals, strengthen the exchange of governance experiences, and better synergize our development visions to jointly chart new prospects for modernization," he said.

Alhaji Mohamed Sarjoh Bah, permanent representative of the African Union to China, said the AU highly commends the China-Africa 10 partnership action plans to jointly advance modernization as well as China's zero-tariff policy for all African countries with which it has established diplomatic relations, which officially took effect on May 1.

"The AU highly commends the four major global initiatives proposed by China, whose principles resonate deeply with Africa's transformation and development agenda and can expand the Global South's voice in decision-making in the global arena," he said.

"China is practicing true multilateralism," he added.

Ahmed Mustafa Fahmy, head of the representative office of the League of Arab States in China, said, "Our cooperation is way more than figures on paper, as it involves tangible and visible projects, such as factories, hospitals, smart cities and desalination plants."

These projects "directly benefit the Arab people and also help Arab states implement their development strategies", he said.

Solidarity stressed

"The members of the League of Arab States firmly believe that only by strengthening solidarity can the countries of the Global South address the challenges of today's world," he added.

At the event, the attendees expressed hopes of further enhancing the countries' capacity for self-reliant growth and strengthening cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and green development.

Liu Hongwu, dean of the Institute of Africa Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, emphasized the importance of educational exchanges and the translation of classic works, noting that "these days, whether in China, Arab states or African nations, young people are eager to learn about each other's past and our bilateral relations".

Currently, China, Africa, and the Arab countries together account for more than half of the world's population, and "as long as we work together, we will surely be able to move forward hand in hand to achieve our great rejuvenation", he added.

Wang Guangda, secretary-general of the China-Arab Research Center on Reform and Development, said that in the new era, China, together with African nations and Arab states, should further coordinate on global multilateral venues, understand each other's major concerns, and jointly champion their legal rights and interests.

"The various kinds of China-Africa, China-Arab cooperation should play a positive role amid turbulence and inject more certainty into regional, global development," he added.